|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Updated: Wednesday, April 13, 2022
|
No pre-bottomer? No problem! With RCI Chocolate Boot Camp course taking place next week, we’re sharing a quick and easy solution, demonstrated by Instructor Joe Sofia with Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, for candy makers who do not have a pre-bottomer on their enrober. This handy tip uses chocolate wafers as the pre-bottom for, in this case, moulded peanut butter meltaways. Joe explained, "When you pop the meltaways out of the mould, they are ready for the full enrobing since the wafer will adhere to the meltaway." Joe also added that it's important to apply the chocolate wafer while the center is still liquid so the two stick together. For this particular demonstration, a 22-millimeter silicon dome mould from Truffly Made was a perfect fit when using a standard chocolate wafer as the base. If you’re interested in more pro tips like this, consider attending RCI’s next Chocolate Boot Camp course in August 2022. If you’re not a member of RCI and you would like to be notified when registration opens, click here to be added to RCI’s email list. Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
Tags:
Bottomer
Chocolate
Chocolate Boot Camp
Enrobing
Pre-Bottomer
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Updated: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
|
Many would agree together chocolate and coffee are the perfect blend. In honor of International Coffee Day on September 29, create thin, chocolate discs to top (and eventually melt into
) a coffee cup or mug. Using a three-inch diameter ring mould (like this one) could help you create a consistent shape every time.
The average ceramic coffee mug is 3.25 inches in diameter and an eight-ounce disposable coffee cup is approximately 3.15 inches.
Of course, solid chocolate discs are delicious as is, the options are endless if you’d like to add flare with flavorings (like caramel, French vanilla, hazelnut, mint, pumpkin spice, etc.) or toppings of crushed peppermint, sprinkles, swirls of dark/milk/white chocolate or cookie crumbles. The addition of colored cocoa butter or transfer sheets add to the visual aesthetics.
Once you’ve perfected your product, connect with local coffee companies and/or restaurants in your community to sell or promote your chocolate discs. Quick tip: For best results, pair chocolate discs with milk-based coffee drinks such as a lattes and cappuccinos.
Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
Coffee
Food Holidays
Pairings
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
They say everything is better with chocolate, but is it?
In honor of National Candy Month, we’re sharing some oddly popular and some surprisingly tasty pairings. We’ll leave it up to you to determine if they really are better with chocolate.
Beef Jerky
This salty, sweet and chewy combination is sure to stir some excitement among jerky fans. Plus, with so many varieties of jerky available the options are seemingly endless. We suggest adding another element of texture by topping the chocolate coating with crushed nuts, candy pieces, drizzled caramel, dried fruit or savory spices like smoked paprika or red pepper flakes.
Cheetos®
If your customers love your chocolate-covered potato chips, this seems like a natural next step. As an added bonus, coating Cheetos in chocolate will help to avoid the dreaded orange Cheeto fingers.
Chickpeas
Packed with protein and fiber, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are super popular right now—see for yourself with a quick internet search. When chickpeas are roasted, they take on a crunchy snack-like quality. Try coating them in chocolate and sprinkling them with a little sea salt and you are bound to catch the attention of chickpea enthusiasts with this nutritious sweet treat.
Chili Peppers
Chocolate-covered chili peppers—perhaps with a dash of sea salt fall right in line with current flavor trends; spicy-salty-sweet. From habaneros to jalapenos to sweet peppers and everything in between, there’s so many varieties of peppers you decide how daring you want to be. **Bonus points if you stuff peppers with peanut butter.
Corn Nuts
We first learned about this addictive combo while touring the R&D department at The Blommer Chocolate Company in 2017. We give this sweet and savory mix of chocolate and toasted corn kernels two thumbs up. Try it for yourself and tell us what you think.
Onions
Chocolate-covered onions? It sounds like an April Fools’ Day joke. As the story goes, the idea started as a prank. Today, RCI member Mueller Chocolate Co.’s chocolate-covered onion has developed into a “cult favorite” for tourists and food bloggers visiting Philadelphia. For the record, it is unanimous that the chocolate-covered onion is as disgusting as it sounds.
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
If you have combined chocolate with peanut butter and chocolate with pretzels, but you’ve never tried the three together, you’re in for a treat.
Pickles
It’s an annual tradition for Malley’s Chocolates of Cleveland to drench dill pickles in chocolate for St. Patrick’s Day—some could say this is the ultimate salty, sweet combination. Unlike the chocolate-covered onion, people seem to really enjoy this wacky combination.
Quinoa
The ancient grain, quinoa, brings along with it a healthy halo. Combine it with dark chocolate and dried superfoods like blueberries—this treat is not only packed with nutrients but it tastes good too. Rather than working with raw quinoa (which might chip a tooth), puffed quinoa is a better medium for coating in chocolate. Puffed quinoa is easy to make yourself (a lot like stovetop popcorn—check out this recipe) or you can buy puffed quinoa (see here).
Wasabi Peas
If you like the crunch of chocolate-covered Cheetos and the heat of chocolate chili peppers, these little spheres of goodness are the best of both worlds.
Creativity doesn’t have to stop here. You never know where your next creative culinary confection will come from. So, keep experimenting and have fun! And don’t forget to tell people about your next wacky combination on social media, in-store and even through a press release. Creative, out-of-the-box thinking may be just what you need to create buzz and get people to visit your store or website so they don’t miss out on all the fun!
Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
National Candy Month
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
Using colored cocoa butter is a great way to add detail and pops of color to your chocolate confections. This week Tomric System's Chef Brian Donaghy shares the basics of using colored cocoa butter and answers five common questions that he gets asked all the time. Since Chef Brian first learned how to use colored cocoa butter with chocolate confections in a master class taught by Norman Love of Norman Love Confections in 2002, colored cocoa butter products have improved and the techniques have exploded exponentially. The process, however, is still fundamentally the same: (1) an emulsion of fat- soluble color and cocoa butter is applied to the inside of a mould (2) the cocoa butter is allowed to partially crystallize (3) tempered chocolate is placed in the mould and the chocolate and cocoa butter crystallize together, so when the chocolate piece is unmoulded it has shine and color. The process is fairly simple, but requires a process. What equipment do you use? “I use an Iwata Smart Jet airbrush compressor set to around 50 psi and Badger 250 airbrushes and I use separate airbrushes for each color. A laser thermometer is another “essential” tool for this process.” How do you temper cocoa butter? “I melt my cocoa butters to 93° F/ 33.9°C and then seed them with cocoa butter "silk" from my EZ Temperer.” How do you achieve an even layer of colored cocoa butter? “Prior to spraying in the mould, I always spray away from the mould first—this ensures that the cocoa butter is spraying correctly.” What’s an easy method for taking your airbrush technique to the next level? “I have taken to masking my moulds so that the color does not coat the entire mould—this makes for an interesting effect.” How do you make colors pop against chocolate? “Spray white colored cocoa butter last to ensure that we can see the colors in dark chocolate. For some colors, like red, I will spray black last, because it creates a beautiful finish.” Whether you’re interested in using colored cocoa butter for the first time or you’ve already perfected your techniques, we hope this post helps inspire you to take your decorating skills to the next level. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
Chocolate Production
Colored Cocoa Butter
Creativity
Decoration
Inspiration
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
Try your luck this St. Patrick’s Day with treats so tempting, you might just lure a leprechaun into your candy shop…along with new and returning customers too! Blarney Bark What leprechaun could resist a bite of “Blarney Bark” from RCI member, Reid Candy & Nut Shop, of Cambridge, Ontario. These festive treats are made with green compound coating and bits of rainbow stripe candy, colorful candies and clover sprinkles. Irish Potato Candy A popular St. Patrick’s Day treat, Irish potato candy was neither invented in Ireland nor does it typically contain potatoes. RCI member, Dolle’s Candyland of Ocean City, Maryland makes their Irish potatoes extra decadent by coating coconut cream in rich, dark chocolate before rolling them in a blend of cocoa and cinnamon. Milwaukee-based RCI member, Burke Candy & Ingredients combines shoestring potato sticks with their coconut dough before rolling their version of Irish potatoes in cinnamon and sugar. Pot of Gold Truffles Transform your existing truffle or meltaway recipe into pots of gold fit for teams of leprechauns. Create the flat top of the “pot” by flattening or trimming one side of the round center before coating it in chocolate. Once set, pipe chocolate onto the flat top of the pot and use it to adhere rainbow candy and gold sprinkles. Leprechaun Cookies These leprechaun cookies are so clever, they’re likely to leap right off your shelves and into customers’ shopping baskets. With a little green and orange confectioners coating, some candy eyeballs and a pinch of finesse with the piping bag you’ll have yourself an army of jolly good leprechauns. Chocolate-Covered Pickles If you dip it, they will come. This salty and sweet combination is just bizarre enough it is sure to catch the attention of the more adventurous consumers looking to try something new. Malley’s Chocolates of Cleveland has had success (and garnered plenty of media attention) over the years coating dill pickles in chocolate exclusively for St. Patrick’s Day. Anyone who receives treats like these is sure to count themselves lucky this St. Patrick’s Day! Share your favorite St. Patrick’s Day treat in the comments below. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Bark
Chocolate
Creativity
Holidays
Inspiration
Irish Potato Candy
Nutter Butter
Spring
St. Patrick's Day
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
With veganism growing in popularity, you might be considering how to appeal to this consumer group. In a past issue of RCI’s Kettle Talk
magazine, Randy Hofberger, with R&D Candy Consultants shared the following considerations for making vegan confections.
It's important to first understand and identify the challenges that may come along with adapting your recipes to meet vegan requirements and expectations. According to vegan.org, in order for a product to be approved for vegan certification:
“It must not contain meat, fish, fowl, animal by-products, eggs or egg products, milk or milk products, honey or honey bee products, insects or products from insects such as silk or dyes, or sugar filtered with bone char."
In addition to the guidelines mentioned above, the perception of what makes a product vegan must also be considered. While a refined sugar that is decolorized without bone char can be used, unrefined sugar or coconut sugar (even better) are preferred. Likewise, brown rice syrup is also preferred over corn syrup. As a general rule, the use of organic and non-GMO/bioengineered ingredients are also preferred.
After evaluating your ingredients and identifying necessary substitutions, the next step is to acquire assurances from suppliers that the ingredients you plan to use are considered vegan.
Next, understand the challenges alternative ingredients may present and how to avoid them, if possible. Although alternative sugars, like coconut sugar, can replace refined sugar/sucrose, they do present their own challenges. For example, coconut sugar has a darker color (making it difficult to get a white cream center), stronger flavor, is less sweet and more hygroscopic. Replacing corn syrup with another syrup might be less of a challenge as long as it has the same dextrose equivalent (DE) and is clarified. Unclarified syrups, such as brown rice, however, may give "off" cereal flavors to your candy.
When replacing the cream in a formulation, the first step is to look at the composition of the dairy cream—typically 36–40% fat and 55% moisture. Coconut cream has about 20% fat and 70% moisture. While you won't be able to do an exact component replacement, balancing the moisture content is probably most important. When looking to replace butter fat, consider using palm oil or natural 76º coconut oil to get the same texture and similar flavor.
When the milk protein has a function (such as stand-up quality and browning for caramels), you may be able to get desired texture using a gum. If the cooking process does not give enough caramelized color and flavor, adding a small amount of molasses may do the trick. You can also use another vegetable protein to replace the milk protein, but these often-present flavor and texture issues. Finally, if you are making aerated confections, a gum, such as agar, or a specialized soy protein are good replacements for egg albumen or gelatin.
As with any new formulation, you can expect plenty of trial and error before your vegan confections are perfected. However, your time may be rewarded with an increased customer base.
Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.
Follow us on Facebook
for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
confections
Formulations
Vegan
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
Trays of cured meats, cheeses and other savory snackables, collectively known as charcuterie boards, have experienced a significant rise in popularity over the past few years. It’s only natural that those of us with more of a sweet tooth longed for a different kind of spread. Photo credit: Vande Walle's Candies RCI member, Vande Walle’s Candies of Appleton, Wisconsin has experienced success with their chocolate charcuterie boards (check out their Packers-themed football board above) and we think you could too for Valentine’s Day and a number of other holidays throughout the year, such as Easter, Mother’s Day and more! Keep reading for a little inspiration and tips to create your own chocolate charcuterie boards for Valentine's Day, using products you already have in your store. Photo credit (clockwise, starting from top left): Rebecca White/Dallas News, A Pumpkin & A Princess, Domestikated Life, Lemon Tree Dwelling Tips to Build Your Own Chocolate Charcuterie Board Begin with the Board Vande Walle’s Candies shared that they start by purchasing a variety of wood planks and cutting boards (made of both wood and glass) of different sizes and arrange their products on the boards. Each one of the Vande Walle’s chocuterie boards is unique and sold at a different price point. The type of board or tray will play a big role in the price of your chocolate charcuterie board, so if you are wanting to keep your price point low check out your local dollar store for inexpensive glass or bamboo cutting boards. Nice wooden cutting boards are going to bring your price up, but the recipient of the board will likely incorporate it into their kitchen and use it over and over. Before arranging anything on your board, consider adding a label or sticker with your company info or logo on the bottom of the board to direct the recipient back to your business. Pile on the Chocolate When choosing which products to feature, don’t overlook the fact that charcuterie boards are meant to be shared either as a gift or at a gathering. We recommend putting your best foot forward by making sure to include a few of your signature items, so the recipient of your beautiful chocolate charcuterie board will want to come by for more. Take time to carefully arrange them on the board and leave space to add pops of color between the brown chocolate items. Aside from your signature items, other ideas might include chocolate-covered sandwich cookies, graham crackers and pretzels with festive sprinkles, chocolate-covered popcorn, nuts or dried fruit. If possible, try to include a variety of shapes and sizes. Add Pops of Color Create interest by adding pops of color throughout the board with gummy candy, jelly beans, foil-wrapped chocolate hearts and lips, colorful non-pareils, conversation hearts, licorice, hard candies, panned cranberries and cherries, macarons, marshmallows and more. The sky is truly the limit. It’s a Wrap Once your board is complete, shrink wrap it to keep it all neatly in place. You might top it with a bow or a fun label as the finishing touch. Even if you opt not to create chocolate charcuterie boards for this Valentine’s Day, this concept can be applied to any holiday—we dare you not to start daydreaming of an Easter board right now! Although the charcuterie board has been around since the 15th century, it has exploded with popularity on social media thanks to its visual appeal. With that said, don’t forget to share photos of your chocolate charcuterie boards on social media. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
Chocolate Charcuterie
Gift Baskets
Gift Ideas
Holidays
Hostess Gifts
Marketing
Trends
Valentine's Day
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021
|
Looking to celebrate this Valentine’s Day in a big way, but with little extra effort? If you already make chocolate-covered sandwich cookies or pretzels, the following ideas will require very little, if any, additional ingredients and minimal effort. Keep reading for five quick and easy tricks to make your existing treats #adorbs this Valentine’s Day. “PAW-some” Puppy Pretzels Package these adorable pretzel treats with a printable tag that says “Puppy Love” or “You’re PAW-some!” and watch these puppies leap off the shelves. Credit: For Modern Kids Love Bug Sandwich Cookies All you need is some red confectioners coating, dark chocolate and candy eyes to transform your chocolate-covered sandwich cookies into lady bugs for Valentine’s Day. Credit: Cakegirls® Sweet Emoji Sandwich Cookies It’s okay to get emotional about how cute and easy these emoji-inspired cookies are. Dip in yellow confectioners’ coating and candy eyes and heart sprinkles. This particular example from Cakegirls® used an edible ink marker to draw the faces, but you could also pipe expressions with dark chocolate. Credit: In The Kids Kitchen "Beary" Cute Sandwich Cookies Pour on the cuteness by transforming chocolate-covered sandwich into bears. Use chocolate wafers for the ears and pipe on light pink confectioners’ coating for the snout and a heart sprinkle for the mouth. Credit: Sweet Simple Stuff Peanut Butter Cookie Broken Hearts Why mend a broken heart when you can eat? Transform everyone’s favorite peanut butter sandwich cookie by cutting it in half diagonally and covering it in red coating and a drizzle of chocolate. Consumers are sure to fall in love with these adorable treats this Valentine's Day! Make sure to share plenty of photos of your Valentine’s Day treats on social media and your e-commerce site for greater exposure and sales potential. If you plan to make a small batch of these fun treats, let consumers know they’re available for a limited-time only in your social media posts and your online store. This will cover you if you do sell out (we hope you do!) and also encourage shoppers to buy by creating a sense of urgency. Make note of the quantities you made and sold to help determine whether to bring them back this time next year. Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
Nutter Butter
Oreos
Pretzels
Social Media
Valentine's Day
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2021
|
Chocolate is always a nice treat, but with the addition of nuts comes key proteins and nutrients, good fats, antioxidants and more! This week we’re sharing some easy guidelines for pairing nuts with dark, milk, white and ruby chocolate. Dark chocolate: For nuts that have distinct flavors on their own, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pecans, it is best to pair them with rich dark chocolate. Like dark chocolate, many nuts are considered to be superfoods. Milk chocolate: What doesn't go with milk chocolate? Peanuts and milk chocolate are a classic combination. Walnuts also go really well with milk chocolate, because they have a bit milder flavor. White chocolate: You will often find macadamia nuts paired with white chocolate, due to their very mild flavors. Cashews and white chocolate are another popular pairing. Ruby chocolate: Ruby chocolate’s intense berry flavor pairs well with a variety of nuts, including almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine kernels, pistachios and walnuts. Standing on their own nuts and chocolate are tasty indeed, but when paired together their even better! Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Chocolate
Nuts
Pairings
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
|
Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2021
|
Options for good chocolate pairings are seemingly limitless, from the ever-popular wine and beer pairings to bourbon, cider, tequila and even cheese. If you are considering hosting an in-person or virtual chocolate tasting and pairing event or even just looking for fun ways to spice up your holiday offerings, RCI member Carmen Romeo of Fascia’s Chocolates shares guidelines for easy, worry-free pairings. Wine White and milk chocolate pairs best with sweet red or white varietals, while dark chocolate goes better with more complex red wines. Beer
Chocolate pairs well with many craft beers, however, when attempting to pair with India pale ale (IPA), chocolates with citrus flavors are best. Bourbon
It is recommended to match flavors when working with bourbon. Some of Fascia’s favorites include pairing a coffee bourbon with a mocha meltaway or a cinnamon bourbon with a cinnamon cream. Cheese
Cheese can be an unexpected, yet, surprisingly well-received addition to a wine and chocolate or beer and chocolate pairing. Try Carmen’s “no-fail” pairing by finding the best, sharpest Pecorino Romano cheese, pair it with a semi-sweet chocolate wafer or cup, topped with coarse-ground black pepper and a glass of Zinfandel wine—the spicier the better. Help shoppers get in the holiday spirit by hosting pairing events (in-person or virtual) or by simply recommending new, exciting ways to enjoy your chocolates. Cheers to a spirited holiday season! Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.
Tags:
Beer
Bourbon
Cheese
Chocolate
Pairings
Tasting
Wine
Permalink
| Comments (0)
|
|
Print Page
Blog Home
All Blogs
RSS
